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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil

Above: The La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil.

If you had told me ten years ago that I would be willingly applying oil to my visage, I would have scoffed the improbability of such behavior. Battling overly "dewy" skin for most of my teens and early 20's resulted in an arsenal of mattifying products...creams, gels and powders became a way of life, collectively working together to inhibit the unwanted oil production that plagued my existence. Imagine my surprise, then, when I realized that facial oil can actually balance one's skin, making it lessoily in the interim. Since this revelation a few years ago, I have imbibed in a variety of hydrating, anti-aging beauty oils (Sunday Riley Juno, SPONGE Ladi Avokanto and NUDE ProGenius, just to name a few) that have improved the condition of my skin and made me a believer in this skin care wonder.

Above: The unique button on the cap is depressed to bring oil into the glass dropper.

Most recently, I have been immensely impressed with the La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil. With active ingredients consisting of two fragile plants (Soldanella Alpina and Purple Saxifrage) and one tiny algae (Swiss Snow Algae) found high in sheer ice crystal-dominated terrain of the Swiss Alps, this whisper light, instantly absorbed oil hydrates and replenishes stressed skin, making it more resilient to harsh atmospheres and prone to cell renewal.

Sweet Almond Oil...rich in vitamin E, which prevents cell damage and reduces skin stress, as well as omega-6 and 9 fatty acids, Sweet Almond Oil is
well loved for its softening and nourishing properties.
Sunflower Seed Oil...acts as a carrier for most of the oily plant extracts in the formula and presents regenerative, restructuring and moisturizing
properties.Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil...a powerful anti-oxidant rich in moisturizing omegas-7 and 9, it provides protection against free radicals in addition to improving
skin elasticity.Jojoba Seed Oil...acts as a carrier for the oily extracts of the plants of the Swiss Ice Crystal Complex; highly conditioning and softening.NURTURE
Roseroot – NEW INGREDIENT FOR LA PRAIRIE...also known as Golden Root, Roseroot is a succulent perennial plant that grows up to heights of 2300 meters above sea level.
Boasts restructuring virtues, shows regenerative properties and has anti-oxidant virtues.

Alpine Lady’s Mantle– NEW INGREDIENT FOR LA PRAIRIE...has astringent, anti-oxidant and anti-irritation properties.Yellow Gentian Extract...native to the mountain meadows of central and southern Europe, and grows up to 2500 meters above sea level, Yellow Gentian
Extract is renowned for its moisturizing, softening and soothing virtues. Gentian is also allotted purifying, toning and astringent
properties.Mountain Arnica Extract...beloved for its softening, regenerative, antiseptic and astringent virtues.Marigold...also known as Calendula Flower Extract; offers soothing, softening and moisturizing virtues. It is also reported to have free-radical
fighting benefits, and antiseptic properties, thanks to the presence of anti-oxidant carotenoids. It has anti-inflammatory and
protective qualities.Milk Thistle– NEW INGREDIENT FOR LA PRAIRIE...Milk Thistle Derivative is obtained from the plant’s own oil. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, including omega-6 linoleic acid,
which are naturally part of the skin barrier lipids.Raspberry Extract...an extract from Raspberry cultured stem cells; imparts a strong moisturizing action to our formula. It’s designed to preserve the
skin’s structure and elasticity and help it regain a youthful aspect.

Housed in a stunning lucite bottle with an effective glass dropper (reminiscent of the ice crystals themselves), this dry oil releases the fragrant scent of light, fresh flowers and essential oils, instantly harnessing my senses. One drop is all that is necessary to completely envelope my face in nourishing moisture; since it is a "dry oil," it is absorbed immediately, creating an ultra-smooth canvas for primer and foundation.

Above: One to two drops are all that is necessary to bring nourishment and hydration to the entire face.

In the morning, I have been implementing this into my routine by applying a drop or two directly after cleansing my skin. I then follow with a pump of Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge (moisturizer, illuminator, retinol treatment and light tint, all in one) and finish with a primer (e.g., Rouge Bunny Rouge Genesis Original Skin Primer, Dior Dreamskin or L'Oreal Visionnaire Blur). Over the course of the day, my skin stays balanced and comfortable without creating excess oil. Instead, it takes on a very restrained glow that looks natural and healthy, even after applying powder!

Above: One drop on my skin.

At night, I have been keeping it simple by cleansing with my Clarisonic and following with yet another couple drops of the oil. On particularly dry evenings, I follow with a cream or serum, other times, the oil is left to do its magic alone. In the morning, my skin is clear, silky, smooth and balanced, ready to take on the invariable stresses of a long work day!

Above: The oil is absorbed immediately, leaving behind a slight sheen that enhances the healthy appearance of the skin.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with the effects of the La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil as a daily skincare product. I can envision this easily integrating into one's existing skincare routine, either as an addition for extra strength and replenishment or as a stand alone treatment. I have been in a bit of a "foundation formula mixing phase" and have yet to experiment with adding a touch of this oil into the mix, however, I can't wait to try ; )

Above: After one week of using the La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil. Please pay no mind to the excruciatingly tangly "end of the work day" hair!

Bottom Line: The La Prairie Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal Dry Oil is a luxurious splurge with lasting benefits. Despite its investment-level price tag, a little goes a very long way, making this 1 ounce bottle a permanent fixture in my powder room for months to come. If you are a looking for a fragrant, opulent facial oil with calibrated anti-aging benefits, the undeniable ability to create glowing skin and a level of exclusivity unrivaled by other formulas in the beauty oil category, then I highly recommend this!

**PR sample provided for review , however, as always, all of my opinions are expressly and unequivocally my own. This post contains affiliate links; my disclosure policy contains additional details on how these work.

I'm LOVING my new tatcha oil. Using it after ii clean my face with the forneo LUNA is divine! Btw, I'm the anon who told u to try dior dream skin......new rec for you - you MUST try marc jacobs new mousse foundation. I'm telling you, new HG for me! Expected to hate it, but it's love. I think you and and I have similar tastes, so give it a shot the coverage is fab, it dries to a matte finish(with some healthy dewy ness) requires NO powder and lasts all day for me!

Excellent...I've heard such good things about the Tatcha...thanks for sharing your experience. I also appreciate your mention of the MJ Mousse Foundation. I have been experimenting with it for the last couple of weeks and it's a lovely surprise overall.

Oh wow, I never knew you could take it as a supplement. Something I will definitely look into. I took fish oil supplements for quite a while but didn't notice anything in particular so stopped.Thanks for the info.

Thank you for the great and thorough review. Especially the ingredients list. This is my first time to visit your blog and I've enjoyed it. I was given a sample of the oil at a Neiman's La Prairie counter during a recent visit/purchase. I, like you have had "dewy" skin all my life and am now reaping the benefits at age 50+. I've just tried cleansing oils within the last 2 years so using any oil as pat of my skin care regimen made me very skeptical. I tried the sample and I think I used too much as it left my skin very oily. Now that I know the great ingredients, I'll give it another try and use far less. I've loved La Prairie for years and adore the Luxe Cream. So I want to really like this and its sister cream.

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